Pedestrian mall without the pole

Krio · December 03, 2007, 02:44:12 PM

Pedestrian mall tiles are awesome, but only the first one (white with pole) looks best next to GLR. Only thing what annoys me is the pole. Can it be removed somehow or should I just start removing ped.mall with lots?

...or a mod where sandstone-texture replaces the white one with GLR tracks in new NAM

Andreas · December 03, 2007, 03:01:03 PM

Are you a bit familiar with the Reader? Then open the "NetworkAddonMod5.dat", fill the list and click on the first exemplar file, named "Ped Mall Tiles_CentrePole". Select the "LotConfigPropertyLotObject" line (there's only one), right-click it and select "Delete property". Now, right-click again, and select "Reindex LotConfig". Save the DAT file, and you're done. Most likely, you have to re-plop the ped-mall tiles to see the effect of the modding.

Krio · December 04, 2007, 07:24:07 AM

I shall try that. Usually my work with reader ends up badly

capo · December 04, 2007, 07:35:55 AM

Quote from: Andreas on December 03, 2007, 03:01:03 PM
Are you a bit familiar with the Reader? Then open the "NetworkAddonMod5.dat", fill the list and click on the first exemplar file, named "Ped Mall Tiles_CentrePole". Select the "LotConfigPropertyLotObject" line (there's only one), right-click it and select "Delete property". Now, right-click again, and select "Reindex LotConfig". Save the DAT file, and you're done. Most likely, you have to re-plop the ped-mall tiles to see the effect of the modding.

Thanks Andreas! Should I also use the reader to edit the base texture of the Ped Mall and if so...could you tell me how?

Thx

Andreas · December 04, 2007, 10:51:30 AM

Quote from: capo on December 04, 2007, 07:35:55 AM
Should I also use the reader to edit the base texture of the Ped Mall and if so...could you tell me how?

Well, you could, but I suggest to use the Lot Editor for this task. Technically speaking, every item on a lot (buildings, textures, props, transit enabling etc.) is stored in a "LotConfigPropertyLotObject" property that holds several values for orientation, location etc. on the lot. Usually, these properties have 13 REPs (values), and the last one is the ID of the texture, prop etc. So if you want to change a texture, you could simply change the ID in the last REP - but this only works if you either know the meaning of every REP so you can locate the texture manually, or if the lot has just one tile, so there is only one LotConfig property for the texture. But there's still the orientation of the texture if it isn't symmetric and so on.

In essence, using the Lot Editor as a visual aid is necessary for every step - and actually, the layout of the "network tile" that reflects the ped mall puzzle piece with the lamppost has been created with the Lot Editor as well. After creating a simple 1x1 lot with the lamppost prop (or any other layout), you can copy the respective LotConfig properties to the type 21 exemplar file in order to change the layout of the ped mall puzzle piece. Technically, it's as simple as that (though you need to take care of the orientation as well for more complex layouts), it's just a very tedious work to copy properties back and forth, and constantly testing them in the game, since it's the only way to preview the actual looks of those tiles.

j-dub · February 18, 2008, 06:14:29 PM

Since I don't know how or why I am the only one who has this, the game actually gets rid of the pole naturally in some instances. I have both center pole with AND without the light, and again, this is not my choice, but the game's.

SC4BOY · February 18, 2008, 07:14:22 PM

Personally I'd like to reinforce the first request.. it's the only lot with a pole and its the only lot that really fits into much of the NAM items.. I'd suggest that on the next NAM release that this be mod'ed to drop the lamp pole.. A VERY FEW of these go a LONG WAYS.. they are way too close together to be actually usable.. I assume they have been carried over NAM to NAM just because its there, but they really don't fit in much at all.. Dropping the lamp entirely would be fine with me.. There are other options I can substiture for it if I wanted it, but the basic lot texture without lamp would be far more useful IMO. This has always been a gripe of mine, but reading this message reminded me.. LOL

xxdita · February 18, 2008, 07:33:08 PM

I know that my Ped Malls don't always have the pole when I plop them. I would check to see just how random it is, but I seem to have started my game up without NAM in my plugins... forgot what I had been doing earlier.

SC4BOY · February 18, 2008, 10:16:44 PM

The pole on mine is 100% unless its been changed recently

Andreas · February 19, 2008, 04:13:54 AM

The ultimate goal of the NAM Team is to make the ped malls a lot more flexible than they are now. There might be some obstacles to overcome with, but I'd like to see draggable ped malls, much like the SAM with different texture styles, and equipped with T21 exemplar files for a bit more variety than a single lamppost.

As usual, it's a matter of time, though, there are so many loose ends that need to be tied up first before starting anything new...

SC4BOY · February 19, 2008, 08:42:34 AM

Plopping 'em is no biggie for me.. rare to need to drag any length in my case.. so I'd put draggable way down the priority list.. but the pole.. now that's different..

Diggis · February 19, 2008, 09:04:00 AM

Ahh but with the draggable come the T21's where by you can have what you want on there.

Actually, there is a tutorial for this, so anyone wanting to change them now could follow that and do so.

SC4BOY · February 19, 2008, 10:37:28 AM

Tutorials exist for most anything you wish to do.. so I guess we should stop posting?

My point is not "FIX MY GAME".. my point is it's inconsistent and doesn't offer a texture which much matches other things in the game, and the one that does smacks a pole into the middle of it and also doesn't fit in.

j-dub · February 19, 2008, 12:04:54 PM

The other option is to make a te lot function with that texture, easier using an existing lot. I know there have been various bikepaths made by multiple folks, and as far from what I've seen, they actually light up green in the traffic map, or at least mine do, after a while. Interesting enough, they can go right next to each other, just like puzzle pieces, unless thats what they are. I don't think the NAM ped mall puzzle pieces light up in the traffic map. Since a ped lot doesn't carry anything else, this shouldn't cause an issue as a te lot, when I noticed I accidentally hover a puzzle piece over my bike pathes, it doesn't crash, and is perfectly stable, but just for these ped te lots, only. I believe we should all have the texture to ped mall center pole in the Lot Editor, don't we? That way we could make our own work around. How to te a ped lot is beyond me though, and to be honest, I don't feel the need myself, but its an idea for those who actually want the center pole removed. However, the one down fall to this is the zoning, I'm going to test this on my system first to see if these can exist with the arrows only facing the bike path, that will proove if or if not this idea will work.

paroch · February 19, 2008, 12:09:48 PM

I think it's a personal preference thing - I really like the light poles on these NAM ped mall tiles.

I'd be disappointed if they were deleted from future NAM releases. Although, of course, being a user and not a contributor, I'd accept whatever the NAM team decided.

Jonathan · February 19, 2008, 12:16:55 PM

Quote from: j-dub on February 19, 2008, 12:04:54 PM
The other option is to make a te lot function with that texture, easier using an existing lot. I know there have been various bikepaths made by multiple folks, and as far from what I've seen, they actually light up green in the traffic map, or at least mine do, after a while. Interesting enough, they can go right next to each other, just like puzzle pieces, unless thats what they are. I don't think the NAM ped mall puzzle pieces light up in the traffic map. Since a ped lot doesn't carry anything else, this shouldn't cause an issue as a te lot, when I noticed I accidentally hover a puzzle piece over my bike pathes, it doesn't crash, and is perfectly stable, but just for these ped te lots, only. I believe we should all have the texture to ped mall center pole in the Lot Editor, don't we? That way we could make our own work around. How to te a ped lot is beyond me though, and to be honest, I don't feel the need myself, but its an idea for those who actually want the center pole removed. However, the one down fall to this is the zoning, I'm going to test this on my system first to see if these can exist with the arrows only facing the bike path, that will proove if or if not this idea will work.

I think the TE lot issue with you has been discussed enough times dont you think?

In the June NAM only some of white texture ped malls had poles on them it was random though. I dont know if that was a bug because it shouldn't be possible should it?

j-dub · February 19, 2008, 12:57:36 PM

@warrior, All I know is this was said about the ped te thing.

Quote from: andreasWell, pedmalls only carry pedestrians anyway, so I don't think they will have a large impact on the traffic simulator. I haven't checked how they are modded, but I assume they work very similar to the Maxis bus station.

A NAM team member's word, vs mine, and lets leave it at that.

Andreas · February 19, 2008, 01:40:37 PM

Quote from: SC4BOY on February 19, 2008, 10:37:28 AM
Tutorials exist for most anything you wish to do.. so I guess we should stop posting?

My point is not "FIX MY GAME".. my point is it's inconsistent and doesn't offer a texture which much matches other things in the game, and the one that does smacks a pole into the middle of it and also doesn't fit in.

Well, I described how to get rid of the pole, so I don't really see what's your problem.

I already stated that the ped malls are rather incomplete and that they will change in the future, but it will take a while...

SC4BOY · February 19, 2008, 01:50:23 PM

Quote from: paroch on February 19, 2008, 12:09:48 PM
I think it's a personal preference thing - I really like the light poles on these NAM ped mall tiles. I'd be disappointed if they were deleted from future NAM releases. Although, of course, being a user and not a contributor, I'd accept whatever the NAM team decided.

I'd love to see some pics of your cities where you find these asthetically pleasing.. perhaps I'm unaware of your methods

quote author=Andreas link=topic=3107.msg121212#msg121212 date=1203457237]
Well, I described how to get rid of the pole, so I don't really see what's your problem.

I already stated that the ped malls are rather incomplete and that they will change in the future, but it will take a while...
[/quote]

lol.. so I guess what you are saying in some odd, backhanded way is you agree.. sounds good to me..

paroch · February 19, 2008, 02:08:42 PM

Quote from: SC4BOY on February 19, 2008, 01:50:23 PM
I'd love to see some pics of your cities where you find these asthetically pleasing.. perhaps I'm unaware of your methods

Have a look at these links and see what you think - personal preference thing of course - but IMO you can make most things work if you want to

http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=3862.msg120441#msg120441

http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=2238.msg120238#msg120238
Picture 23.12

http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=2238.msg104380#msg104380
picture 16.01